Barb-wire machine



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet Y1.. G. SKINNER.

BARB WIRE MACHINE.

Patenlbd July 21,1885.

N. PETERS, Pholllhognpher. Wnhnghn. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT rrica.

COURTLAND SKINNER, OF GRINNELL, IOWA.

BARE-WIRE MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming pari: of Letters Patent No.322,489, dated July 21, 188,5.

Application filed May 3l, i883. (.No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Co'URTLAND SKINNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grinnell, in the county of Poweshiek, in the State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Barb-Wire Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an improvement in barb-wire machines; and it consists in certain peculiarities of the construction and arrangement of the same, substantially as will be hereinafter more fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to de-` scribe its construction and operation, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my machine in position'for use. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of the gripping and cutting jaws or dies. Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views of the ends of these jaws in a closed position, representing them before and after the formation of the barb, respectively. Fig. 5 is a similar view of an adjustable slide which is attached to the end of one of these jaws. Fig. 6 is a similar view of this slide and two auxiliary slides or knives which work across its face, and shows their relative position. Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are details of the twistingshaft; and Fig. 10 is a short section of the main wire with a barb attached.

Arepresents the main frame of my machine, which may be either vertical or horizontal, though I prefer the latter, as represented in the drawings. In suitable journals on this frame is journalcd the main shaft A', carrying upon one end a large spur-wheel, A2,which meshes with a pinion, B, upon a hollow shaft, B, journaled in the main frame, so as to have a longitudinal movement at intervals, as will be presently explained. It will b e observed that the pinion B has a broad face, in order that when this endwise movement of the shaft is made it will not be drawn from engagement with the gear A2, and thus stop the rotation of the hollow shaft.

Fulcrumed upon an offset of the main frame is a shifting-lever, C, having its upper end forked and clasping the shaft B between two collars, b b, audits lower end provided Vwith an anti-friction roller, c, which contacts with a camsegment, C', fixed upon the main shaft and adapted at the proper time to shift the lever, thus throwing the hollow shaft B forward in its bearings. To return this shaft to its normal position, I provide a spring, b', coiled around the shaft between the collar b and its outer bearing, which is compressed as the shaft is projected, and its recoilv throws it back again as soon as the pressure of the cam C' is removed. 1 l

Upon the main frame A is cast an upward projection or jaw, D, to which is hinged a movable jaw, D', having its rear or lower end extended downwardsome distance, and opposite it is secured upon the main shaft A a cam, D2, which at proper intervals in its rotation strikes the rearwardly-extended arm and oscillates the jaw D', as will be fully seen in Figs. l and 2. This jaw is returned to its rst position by a spring, d, secured upon the frame and bearing against the arm, as shown in Fig. 2.

The main wire upon which the barbs are to be secured passes from `any suitable reel or spool through the hollow sliding shait B', between the jaws D D', which are formed on their gripping-faces with transverse grooves o o for its reception, and thence to the twisting and reeling mechanism at the opposite end of the machine. y

The extreme ends ofthe jaws D D are of peculiar construction, for cutting the barb at the proper length and holding it in proper relation to the main wire during the operation of twisting or applying it, and are made as follows: The movable jaw D is provided with a plate, d', recessed in its inner face, which plate is upon its side formed with a flange, di, and at its inner end with a higher iiange, d, as fully seen in Figs. 5 and 6. yThrough the liange d3 is formed a hole or wire-1ead, d*, which ends in a groove, di, in the inner side of the flange d2, which groove extends upward obliquely till it opensout through the upper edge of the ilange. This plate d is adjustable longitudinally of the jaw by means of a setscrew, d, in the end of thejaw. By setting the plate nearer to or farther from the end of IOO the jaw the point of the barb is lengthened or shortened at the pleasure of the operator while the machine is in motion, as will be presently fully understood.

Across the face of the jaw D, lying one upon another and upon the plate et, are twoplates, e e', the lower of which rests upon the main portion d7 of the plate d', with its end against the flange d?, and is adjustable to or from this flange by a set-screw, c2, in an offset of the jaw. The second plate e lies just above the other, also rendered adjustable by a setscrew, e3, and its end forms a die, which aids in holding the end of the barb after it is cut. The stationary jaw D is also provided with a steel plate or slide, f, across its face, the inner end of which projects somewhat beyond the jaw in order to overlap the movable jaw when the two are closed, and thus cut the barb; and this plate or cutter is also adjustable by means of a set-screw,j", as seen clearly in Figs. 3 and 4.

Upon the main driving-shaft A', near the stationary gripping-jaw D, is placed an eccentric, E, which, by means ofastrap-connection, et, gives a reciprocating motion to a feedingarm, E. This arm has its end bent at right angles and working in a slot, f2, in the stationaryjaw D. The eXtreme end of the arm E is formed with a shoulder, f3, which has a spring dog or pawl, ft, bearing against it, as seen in Figs. l and 2, the purpose of which will be presently explained.

Upon the movable jaw D, in proper relation tothe hole d, is secured an eyelct or wireguide, El, upon one side of which is a spring- Vactuated pawl, et.

The barb-wire k is contained upon a su'table reel properly secured at any desired point on the main frame, and from it the wire is led upward between the dog or pawl fl and shoulderf of the feeding-arm, and from these through the eyelet or guide E2, and then through the hole d* and groove d, and out over the end of the jaw past the depression dl, formed in its gri pping-face for the passage of the main wire. As the eccentric rotates the feedingarm is pushed forward, the dogcr-pawl upon its end gripping the barb-wire and feeding it in the proper distance, as in Fig. 2. As the arm E is drawn back again the pawl steps over the wire, while the holding-dog e* engages it and prevents its being drawn back with the feeding device. The jaws are now closed by cam D2, the barb out by the fiange cl2 of plate d, carried by jaw D, under and acting with the stationary plate f, and its inner end is grasped and firmly held by the plates e and f with its-Outer end projecting past the main line wire and over the end of the jaw, as in Fig. 4. At this instantthe camsegment C upon the main shaft actuates the lever C to project the hollow twisting-shaft B toward the jaws. The end of this shaft is formed, as seen in Figs. 7, 8, and 9, with a radial slot or depression, b, which grasps the free end of the barb and twists it around the main wire. After giving it the proper nulnber of turns the shaft B is retracted and the jaws allowed to open, when the main wire and barb-wire are each fed forward a proper distance, and the operation is repeated indefinitely.

At the end of the main frame, opposite to that carrying the barbing` mechanism, is situated the twisting and reeling devices.

On the main shaft is placed a gear-wheel, G, which meshes with a similar wheel, G, upon a short shaft, g, which also carries a conical drum, G2, as shown in Fig. l. This drum is formed or provided with a worm, g', which extends half-way around the drum, in a plane at a right angle to the axis of the drum, at its larger end, and then spiral] y winds along the side of the drum to its opposite end. This feather or worm g' engages a notched wheel, H, upon a transverse shaft, l1., and the main wire t', with its barbs thereon, passes over a reel, H, upon this shaft, as does also a second wire, i', from its containing-reel beneath the machine.

At the end of the machine, operated by a bevel-gear, G3, upon the main shaft, is placed the twisting device, of any of the usual and well-known forms, not needing any special description or illustration in this application. This device twists the wire z around the wire i, and the whole is then wound upon the reel I for future use.

It will-be seen by referring to the drawings that the feather g', engaging the notched wheel H, moves it forward during the passage of the spiral portion of the worm, and then holds it stationary for an equal time during the formation of the barb, thus feeding the main wire forward intermittently for the proper attachment of the barbs.

The operation of the machine will be obvious from the foregoing description, and it is not necessary here to repeat it.

The machine is exceedingly simple iu all its parts, and the length of the barb may be regulated at will without stopping the machine.

The barb-wire is fed intothe jaws between the end ofthe lower slide, c, and the grooved flange d2, and is thus securely held, while the cutter upon the opposite jaw, sliding closely over this flange, severs the barb by a shearing cut, and, as the wire is held slanting by the peculiar shape of the groove in which it lies, it is cut obliquely and thus pointed.

The upper plate, e', and the cutter'or knife f may both, if desired, be formed with a depression or die in their ends to receive the end of the barb. It is seized and held in this manner as soon as cut, and thus lies in the best position for insuring the proper action of the twisting-shaft B.

It is evident that by adjusting the flanged. plate d', as already described, the endof its groove d5 will be nearer to or farther from the main wire, and the barb will be eut longer or shorter.

Itis obvious that, if found desirable, both IOO TIO

the gripping-jaws may be made movable instead of one, as herein shown; but I prefer the latter as the simpler mode of doing it.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isi l. In a barb-Wire machine, a gripping-jaw provided with a grooved or perforated plate in which t-he barb-wire is held, in combination with a set-screw adapted to shift this plate to expose a longer or shorter portion of wire to the action of the cutter, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a barb-wire machine, a gripping-jaw having a grooved plate in which the barb- Wire is held, and an adjustable gripping-die located upon it, in combination with a second jaw carrying a cutting-die, which passes closely across the face of the grooved plate as the jaws close to sever the barb, and having its end indented or adapted to receive and hold the barb during the operation of applying it, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a barb-wire machine, amain shaft provided with an eccentric a feeding-arm hav-l ing a shouldered point provided withaspring dog or pawl, and a cam upon said shaft, in combination with hinged gripping-jaws opl erated by said cam and provided with means i'or cutting and holding the barb, and a guide having a spring-actuated dog for holding the barb-Wire during the retraction of the feedingarm, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. j

4. In a barb-wire machine, the combination, with the grippingjaws D D' and their devices for holding the barb, of the main shaft A', carrying the gear A2 and cam-segment C', the hollow shaft B', broad pinion B, actuating-lever C, and retracting-spring b', substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a barb-wire machine, the combination, with the gripping-jaws D D', of the main shaft A', eccentric E, feedingarm E', having the shoulder f 3, and the spring-pawl f4, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

y6. In a barb-wire machine, the stationary jaw D, having an adjustable holder and cntter f, in combination with the hinged jaw D', provided with the barb-holding plates d'6 e', the spring d, main shaft A', and cam D2, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a barb-wire machine, the combination, with the jaw D, carrying the cutter f, of the jaw D', provided with a plate, d', having an inclined groove or guide, d5, for holding the barb -wire, and a setscrew, d, adapted to move said plate in or out to lengthen or shorten the barb, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. i

8. In a barb-wire machine, the jaw D, having the cutter f, rendered adjustable by means of the set-screw f', in combination with the jaw D', provided with the flanged and grooved adjustable plate d', the adjustable holdingplate e, andv adjustable die e', all constructed and arranged to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In abarb-wire machine, the combination, with mechanism, substantially as described, for applying the barb of a reel-shaft h, provided With a notched wheel, I-I, and an actuating-drum, G2, provided with a feather, g', passing one half around the drum at right angles and the other half upon a spiral, Whereby the main Wire is given an intermittent motion, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. In abarb-wire machine, the single combination, with the barb-holding jaws D D', ot a constantly revolving hollow shaft, B', through which the main wire passes, provided at one end with a radial depression, b3, to engage the free end of the barb, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

GOURTLAND SKINNER.

Witnesses:

CLYDE BEAN, FRANK M. GRAHAM. 

